Stepping exerciser

ABSTRACT

A stepping exerciser includes a base having an inclined pivot axle perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to the base, a pivotal supporting device attached to the inclined pivot axle of the base and movable in a plane parallel to the inclined plane, and two foot pedals pivotally attached to the pivotal supporting device and arranged to allow the foot pedals to be stepped downwardly by a user, and the foot pedals may be moved downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when the foot pedals are stepped by the user to simulate ladder climbing exercises. An arm is pivotally attached to the inclined pivot axle of the base for pivotally supporting the foot pedals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stepping exerciser, and more particularly to a stepping exerciser including inclined pivot axles to tiltedly support foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals to be moved upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical stepping exercisers comprise a pair of foot pedals to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by users, in order to train the lower muscle groups of the users. Normally, the front portions of the foot pedals are rotatably or pivotally attached to a straight and lateral axle, for allowing the foot pedals to be moved upwardly and downwardly.

In most of the typical stepping exercisers, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,697 to Chen, a pair of foot pedals are also disclosed and are also arranged to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by users. However, in the typical stepping exercisers, the foot pedals may only be moved downwardly and upwardly relative to the supporting base but may not be moved forwardly and rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that the typical stepping exercisers may not be operated to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,899 to Liang discloses another typical stepping exerciser comprising a pair of foot pedals each pivotally or rotatably attached to a U-shaped seat with pair of rocking arms, and arranged to be stepped downwardly and laterally by users. However, similarly, in these typical stepping exercisers, the foot pedals may only be moved downwardly and laterally or sidewise relative to the supporting base but may not be moved forwardly and rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that the typical stepping exercisers also may not be operated to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,033 to Palmer discloses a further typical stepping exerciser comprising a pair of foot pedals pivotally or rotatably attached to a pair of inclined pivot axles, and arranged to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by users. However, similarly, in these typical stepping exercisers, the foot pedals also may only be moved downwardly and laterally or sidewise relative to the supporting base but may not be moved forwardly and rearwardly relative to the supporting base, such that the typical stepping exercisers also may not be operated to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional stepping exercisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stepping exerciser including an inclined pivot axle to tiltedly support foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals to be moved upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a stepping exerciser comprising a base including an inclined pivot axle extended rearwardly and upwardly therefrom and perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to the base, a pivotal supporting device attached to the inclined pivot axle of the base and movable in a plane parallel to the inclined plane, and two foot pedals pivotally attached to the pivotal supporting device and arranged to allow the foot pedals to be stepped downwardly by a user, and the foot pedals are movable downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when the foot pedals are stepped by the user to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

The pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a middle portion pivotally attached to the inclined pivot axle of the base and having two end portions pivotally coupled to the foot pedals respectively.

The foot pedals each pivotally attach to the end portions of the arm with a pivot shaft, and each includes two bars of different lengths extended therefrom and pivotally attached to the pivot shafts respectively for horizontally supporting the foot pedals which are parallel to the base and thus for stably supporting the users on the foot pedals.

The pivotal supporting device includes two links pivotally coupled between the foot pedals and the base for forming a parallelogrammic structure and for stably supporting the foot pedals to the arm.

A resistive device may further be provided and disposed between the foot pedals or the pivotal supporting device and the base, to provide a resistive force against the foot pedals. The resistive device may be coupled to the arm.

The pivotal supporting device includes a fastening plate attached to the base and engaged with the arm and the resistive device to stably retain or position the arm and the resistive device to the base.

The base includes a post extended upwardly and forwardly therefrom along the inclined plane, the pivot axle is extended upwardly and rearwardly from the post.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an upper and rear perspective view of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 3 is an upper and rear perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 5 is a rear plan view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 7 is a side plan view similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the stepping exerciser;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8, illustrating the operation of the stepping exerciser; and

FIG. 10 is an upper and rear perspective view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the other arrangement or application of the stepping exerciser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-2, a stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10 including a support or post 11 extended upwardly and forwardly therefrom along an inclined surface or plane 8 (FIG. 6) which is inclined relative to the base 10 for supporting such as a counter or control device (not shown) thereon, and including a pivot axle 12 extended outwardly and upwardly and rearwardly from the post 11 or directly extended outwardly and upwardly and rearwardly from the base 10 and preferably perpendicular to the inclined plane 8, and including one or more, such as three pins 13, 14 (FIG. 1) extended from the post 11 or the base 10 and also perpendicular to the inclined plane 8 and parallel to the pivot axle 12.

A pivotal supporting means or device 2 includes a rocker arm 20, such as a V-shaped arm 20 having a middle portion or a middle hub member 21 for rotatably or pivotally attaching or securing to the inclined pivot axle 12 of the base 10 and arranged to allow the arm 20 of the pivotal supporting device 2 to be rotated or pivoted relative to the inclined pivot axle 12 of the base 10 in a plane parallel to the inclined plane 8 (FIGS. 4-9), and includes two foot pedals 22 each rotatably or pivotally attached or secured to the end portion 23 of the arm 20 with a pivot shaft 24 respectively, and arranged to allow the foot pedals 22 to be stepped downwardly and alternatively by the users, and to allow the foot pedals 22 to be moved downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when the foot pedals 22 are stepped downwardly and alternatively by the users.

The foot pedals 22 will thus be moved in a plane parallel to the inclined plane 8 (FIGS. 6-7) together with the arm 20 of the pivotal supporting device 2. Since the arm 20 and the inclined plane 8 are inclined relative to the base 10, the foot pedals 22 are required to have two bars 25, 26 of different lengths extended therefrom and pivotally attached or secured to the end portions 23 of the pivot shafts 24 respectively for allowing the foot pedals 22 to be supported horizontally or parallel to the supporting ground or the base 10, best shown in FIGS. 6-7, to suitably support the users on the foot pedals 22, and also for allowing the foot pedals 22 to be moved downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises, best shown in FIGS. 4-9.

For safety purposes, one or more, such as two links 27 are pivotally coupled between the foot pedals 22 and the post 11 or the base 10, or pivotally coupled to the longer bars 26 of the foot pedals 22 with pivot pins 28 and/or pivotally coupled to the pin 14 of the post 11 of the base 10 for forming a substantially parallelogrammic structure (FIGS. 8, 9) and for stably supporting or attaching or coupling the foot pedals 22 to the arm 20. It is to be noted that the links 27 are optionally provided for safely and stably supporting or attaching or coupling the foot pedals 22 to the arm 20 and may be selectively removed.

A resistive device 30 includes one or more, such as two hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 31, spring members, resilient belts, or other resistive mechanisms 31 disposed or coupled between the foot pedals 22 and the base 10, or between the arm 20 and the base 10, and pivotally coupled to the pins 13 of the post 11 of the base 10 for providing a resistive force against the arm 20 and the foot pedals 22, and thus for providing the resistive force against the stepping operations of the users. The resistive device 30 may include various kinds of adjustable structures (not shown) for adjusting the resistive forces of the resistive device 30, in order to fit various operators or users. A fastening plate 33 may be attached or secured to the pins 13 and the pivot axle 12 of the base 10 and attached or engaged with the middle portion or hub member 21 of the arm 20 and the ends of the resistive mechanisms 31 in order to stably or solidly couple or retain or position the arm 20 and the resistive mechanisms 31 to the base 10.

As shown in FIG. 10, it is preferable that a column 80 may be optionally or selectively attached to the base 10 for supporting a meter or control panel or device 88 thereon and for supporting one or more handles 89 thereon for supporting the upper portions of the users when the users newly operate the stepping exerciser or when the users are new comers or beginners. However, the column 80 and the meters or control panels or devices 88 and the handles 89 are not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details.

Accordingly, the stepping exerciser in accordance with the present invention includes an inclined pivot axle to tiltedly or inclinedly support the foot pedals and to allow the foot pedals to be moved upwardly and forwardly to simulate the true ladder climbing exercises.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A stepping exerciser comprising: a base including an inclined pivot axle extended rearwardly and upwardly therefrom and perpendicular to an inclined plane inclined relative to said base, a pivotal supporting device attached to said inclined pivot axle of said base and movable in a plane parallel to said inclined plane, and two foot pedals pivotally attached to said pivotal supporting device and arranged to allow said foot pedals to be stepped downwardly by a user, and said foot pedals being movable downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly when said foot pedals are stepped by the user to simulate ladder climbing exercises.
 2. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a middle portion pivotally attached to said inclined pivot axle of said base and having two end portions pivotally coupled to said foot pedals respectively.
 3. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said foot pedals each pivotally attach to said end portions of said arm with a pivot shaft, and each includes two bars of different lengths extended therefrom and pivotally attached to said pivot shafts respectively for horizontally supporting said foot pedals which are parallel to said base.
 4. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pivotal supporting device includes two links pivotally coupled between said foot pedals and said base for forming a parallelogrammic structure and for stably supporting said foot pedals to said arm.
 5. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a resistive device disposed between said foot pedals and said base, to provide a resistive force against said foot pedals.
 6. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a resistive device disposed between said pivotal supporting device and said base, to provide a resistive force against said foot pedals.
 7. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein said pivotal supporting device includes an arm having a middle portion pivotally attached to said inclined pivot axle of said base, and said resistive device is coupled to said arm.
 8. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pivotal supporting device includes a fastening plate attached to said base and engaged with said arm and said resistive device to stably retain said arm and said resistive device to said base.
 9. The stepping exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a post extended upwardly and forwardly therefrom along said inclined plane, said pivot axle is extended upwardly and rearwardly from said post. 